


Disparition

by Schgain



Series: The Sandstorm: Part C [2]
Category: Welcome to Night Vale, ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 | JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken | JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
Genre: Carlos is Autistic, Cecil is Mostly Human, Humor, M/M, Manipulation, POCecil, Pre-N'Doul Fight, Typical Night Vale Weirdness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-08
Updated: 2015-11-08
Packaged: 2018-04-30 17:29:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5172947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Schgain/pseuds/Schgain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The man on the radio is no more dangerous than any other man on the radio, Jotaro. </p>
<p>---</p>
<p>The Crusaders and two hitchhikers discuss stands.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Disparition

There are two men along the desert road. Their pants are dusty, and their hair is sticking to their brows. One man sits in the shadow of the other, head bent over a well-worn book. The standing man is holding in his hands a cassette player.

It seems like he’s always holding a cassette player these days. He says into the microphone:

“Welcome… to [RECORDING CUTS OUT].” 

Jotaro is rightfully suspicious of the hitchhikers they had picked up. 

One of them, the one that stutters and whose fingers are covered in rings that are less ‘jewelry’ and more ‘toy’, with their colorful buttons and clackers and sliding bits, sits in between Jotaro and Kakyoin. He’s actually very tolerable, save for the points where he won’t _shut the hell up_. Every so often, Jotaro will glance at the book the scientist is reading. It is not a scientific journal; it is a very large novel, and on the cover there is an illustration of a green thing giving a thumbs up and carrying a suitcase. The passage is about dolphins. 

The other one… He sits in the front passenger seat, commandeering the radio. It’s playing a song no one recognizes and he’s humming along, clutching his cassette player to his breast. The eye slides off his figure, reminding Jotaro of a sentence half-forgotten. The longer he stares at the figure who is not tall nor short, not skinny nor fat, the more his eyes sting and he has to look away. Jotaro can’t figure out much else about the man’s appearance, besides the fact that he is wearing a tie. 

The tie is dark blue and features a set of constellations embroidered in silver on it, but Jotaro could have sworn it was different before. It had boasted…

It had boasted a golden heart.

Neither of them _seem_ like stand users; the scientist seems too engrossed in his environment to be against them, and the radio host talks as if he and Joseph are acquainted. Neither of them are smug, expositive, or even menacing. They’re just… 

Bizarre. 

“Where are you two headed, Carlos?” Joseph asks. 

“Cairo!” says the scientist, without looking up from his book. The radio host nods his agreement, a dim sense of motion in the corner of Jotaro’s vision. “I have a lecture there about a very strange phenomenon! Very scientifically interesting. My boyfriend here, Cecil, wanted to come with me, but the plane dropped us off in Aswan. And then, of course, we had no vehicle! So, here we are.” 

Polnareff, from the truck bed, coughs. “How long have you two been together?”

Cecil responds with a date that slips immediately from Jotaro’s mind, and goes on to jabber about his work to Joseph. 

Carlos abandons his book to clear his throat and stares, half-smiling, at Jotaro and Kakyoin. The two students look back, one irritated and one interested. But Carlos is not deterred by Jotaro’s darkening glare. “You know,” he begins, hands flapping, “it’s a really interesting phenomena. People are being haunted by ghosts- which is weird because Cecil told me that these ghosts weren’t on any municipal records! And these ghosts can do all sort of things. They’re _tangible_ , even, and can affect their environments. And I think I found out what’s causing the phenomenon! My client is going to be very pleased. It’s so scientifically in--” 

Carlos’ smile faded. Joseph had stopped the car, and five worried faces had turned to look at him. Cecil bad forgone turning in his seat, instead reaching for his cassette player as if a weapon, other hand ready to unbuckle his seatbelt. Just in case he needed to launch himself into a Night Vale Boy Scouts Emergency Meat Shield Dive™. 

“Why are-- why are you all looking at me like that?” he stammers. 

“Who is your client, exactly?” Joseph says slowly. Carlos’ hands flap. 

“The Mediterranean Association of Wights,” he says quietly, shooting Cecil a helpless look when Joseph just furrows his brow at the name. 

“I thought you were working with them, considering your Stands.” Cecil raises an eyebrow and it seems the whole car holds its breath. Even Jotaro stills, hand gripping the car door. The community radio host smiles, or at least Jotaro thinks he does. It’s hard to tell. 

“Stands! That's the colloquial term!” Carlos snaps his fingers. “You know, there’s an artificial way to-”

But he’s cut off by Joseph's hand. “Cecil, you have a stand? All this time and you haven’t told me?” he asks carefully. Cecil grins. Already Star Platinum is itching to come out, a thrum of movement inside Jotaro’s chest independent from his heartbeat. Star wants a fight, but his user stamps down that urge to simply observe. Cecil and Carlos are unpredictable, and even if they’re not against the Joestars and ensemble, it could still prove dangerous. 

“Mmmmm _hmmm!_ I mean, of course I do! I’m a _community radio host_ , after all! I wouldn't want to come off as unprofessional.” He smiles, waving a dismissive hand. 

There is a moment of silent incomprehension from everyone but Carlos. Even Jotaro furrows his brow, trying to make the connection and growing frustrated when none come to mind. 

“So you do work for Dio,” Avdol mumbles. Star Platinum fades into this reality and Cecil…

Cecil looks directly at him. 

Through Platinum’s eyes Jotaro can see Cecil for what he is- he is not tall and not short, not skinny nor fat. He is wearing a tie, as purple as dusk. And he smiles like an old friend. A real smile, warm and good-humoured, if one ignores the teeth. 

Jotaro blinks and uses his own set. Once again Cecil is blurred and uncanny. 

“No.” Says the radio host, voice thick like rum. “I work for the Night Vale Community Radio Station. And Carlos is a scientist! I don’t know what this Dio wants with you, but he **will not have it.** ”

His voice echoes with a slight overlay of static and the unmistakable sound of a high violin note. 

“Right!” Says Carlos, his resolve found. “I mean, research on wi- on stands is already a little suspicious. What does he want with you?”

Joseph sighs. “He’s an ancient enemy of our family. He is dangerous and powerful, and willing to kill anyone who stands in his way.”

Cecil and Carlos are quiet. 

“Yikes.” Says Cecil. “Double yikes! You know, I had a familial nemesis once, but--”

He mutes himself. Jotaro can see his mouth still moving but no sound comes out. Weird. 

“Cecil, my caramel-tongued hero, maybe you could use your stand to help!” Carlos suggests as he chews on his rings. Jotaro can't tell which parts of Cecil are plain weird and which are the work of his stand. 

Sound comes back to Cecil, and he might be grinning. “I try to use it only for business, but this seems like an emergency!” He winks one of his eyes but it’s difficult to say which one. Once again Star Platinum is drawn out like he is drawn to other stand users. Jotaro and spirit alike as cecil stands and adjusts his tie. 

“The Ballad of Fiedler and Mundt!”


End file.
